It’s all my brain’s fault!

Last week I had the opportunity to take a survey based on the “whole brain” research of Ned Herrmann. The survey resulted in a detailed profile that explains my preferences for thinking and problem-solving based on the four quadrants of the brain and the types of activity central to each quadrant. At its most basic, the profile tells you if your preference is to be a “thinker” (the analytic quadrant), a “feeler” (the emotional quadrant), a “planner” (the organizing quadrant), or an “innovator” (the creative quadrant) — or, if your preferences make you “balanced” in two or more quadrants.

Before seeing the results, I would have told you I am a thinker and a planner. I consider myself very analytical and very adept at administrative/organizational tasks (and Mr. Mom concurs, for what it’s worth).

Turns out, I was wrong. Based on the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI), I’m first and foremost an innovator. A creator. An entrepreneur.

It’s true that lots of people say I’m creative. “No I’m not!” is my usual response. (Because the part of my brain that is authoritative and overly-confident says I know myself better than others, I suppose.)

After seeing my profile plotted out over the four quadrants of the brain, I learned that I’m mostly creative, with lesser but balanced strengths in analyzing and planning. I’m weakest in feeling. (Yeah, I knew that about myself. “Joan’s so warm and empathetic” said no one ever.)

The purpose of this profile was to better understand how I bring my talents to bear for my employer and colleagues. What I couldn’t stop thinking about, though, was my recent foray into quilting.

“No wonder I have yet to follow a pattern!” I thought to myself. Since I started quilting in April, I’ve started seven quilts and finished six. The one unfinished quilt in my sewing cabinet is the one for which I have a pattern. Somehow, it’s just not interesting enough to keep me going. Since I promised Kate I’d finish it in time for tennis season, I’ve got to get over my hurdle and get going — but I keep getting distracted by other projects, like the star placemat pictured above.

Saturday night I was perusing the internet and tripped across this photo:

I’ve been casting about for a quilt to make for a friend and this one seemed perfect for her tastes. And it looked so simple — except I’m too inexperienced to figure out on my own how to make the blocks that form the points of the star. After a little googling, I thought I had it. So I got up Sunday morning and used scraps to make a test block, which turned into an impromptu placemat because why waste a test square?

So — off I go in search of fun fabric for my friend’s star quilt.

And it’s all my brain’s fault!

With gratitude {for a brain that’s not what I thought it was but seems to work fine anyway},

Joan, who figures quilting by pattern is a lot like painting-by-number and she never did that either

Comments

Somebody had to create all those patterns in the first place – it would seem your brain wants you to be one of those quilters, rather than the ones who express themselves solely with color placement or fabric choice. So long as it brings you pleasure? I say you quilt however your brain wants you to (or at least that is what my brain told me to tell you!).

PS – don’t you just love these tests that tell you about yourself? I think a lot of the corporate administration of these personality/work style tests are being administered by folks who, like me, couldn’t wait growing up to turn to the end of all those magazines that held quizzes on their favorite subject – themselves – promising to reveal some secret(s).

Your Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument sounds a lot like “Personalysis,” which a 1990s employer of mine invested in. Everyone on staff was either Green, Blue, Yellow or Red (with personality categories pretty much identical to the ones in your HBDI). We all kept our Personalysis charts on our desks. I always steered away from the Blue “emo” types, so no wonder we are friends : )